Authorities have identified a Wissinoming woman and former bank teller as a pivotal figure in an elaborate check-forging scheme that netted about $40,000 in proceeds.
The Pennsylvania attorney general’s office charged Latosha Mabry, 25, of the 2100 block of Anchor St., and nine others last Wednesday with raiding the checking accounts of at least four companies. As a teller at Sovereign Bank in Dresher, Montgomery County, Mabry allegedly stole account details for the victimized businesses and provided the information to a co-conspirator known to investigators only by the nickname “Beans.”
Investigators believe that Beans used the account information to produce counterfeit checks in amounts ranging from $3,000 to $5,500. Other conspirators deposited the bank notes into various personal accounts, then used debit cards to withdraw the funds.
Christopher Canty, 30, of West Philadelphia’s Carroll Park section, and August Pauline, 35, of West Philadelphia’s Mill Creek section, allegedly had direct contact with Beans and recruited other conspirators into the scheme. Two additional defendants were identified as residents of West Philly, with three from North Philly, one from Kensington and one from Southwest Philly.
All were charged with forgery, theft, receiving stolen property, identity theft, conspiracy, bad checks and securing documents by deception. ••
